MIT Technology Review on Where Orwell Went Wrong

nakhla writes "MIT's Technology Review is running an interesting article entitled Who's Afraid of 1984? The article talks about Orwell's famous work, and examines how Orwell's view of technology's impact on freedom and democracy was flawed. The article points out that, in fact, freedom and democracy were strengthened by technological innovations, and addresses its affect on Stalinism and Nazism. An interestng read for those who are worried about technology's impact on our generation and beyond."

Comments

Just a good book

[kappax]

It is just a good book, but look where MS is going, that P thing, that sounds like big brother to me.

Re:2008 headline - MIT Optimistic, Orwell Right

[gillbates]

His novel 1984, written in 1948, contained the foremost prophecy of the cold war: that technological advancement would render Stalinism unstoppable, with individual liberty the inevitable casualty. However, when the technologies that would enable this totalitarian global village reached fruition, the victim was not democracy, but totalitarianism itself. What went right?

Democracy is the new totalitarianism. I don't think that Orwell could have imagined a more evil state than that of the United States. No other administration to date has come as close to Orwell's Ministry of Love as the current one. In fact, John Ashcroft unwittingly quoted 1984 when he said in a press release "we have made measurable progress toward end of the war." The irony could not get any better!